[color=ffb6c1][h3][center]Ante Magnus[/center][/h3][/color]

[i]Burial Site outside Harena Proper[/i]

Ante woke violently.  Eyes went wide and the dancer start to pat around.  [color=ffb6c1]"There was a giant hole! And Auges! And. . . And. . .  I died.  There should be no coming back from that fate."[/color]  [i]But here I am[/i] were the words that wanted to escape lips, but alas they hovered at the point of escape and retreated inward.  [color=ffb6c1]"There has to be a reason.  No. For now, to figure out where I am.  This is a sandy area, so for sure this must be in Harena.  The empire is big and it encompasses most of the sandy area so I just need to find. . ."[/color] Almost as soon as saying it, Ante noticed something in the distance.  A city perhaps! It had some of the archetypal architecture of Harena.  It was just time to get closer.

[hr]

As Ante encrouched on the city, there were two noticeable things.  First off, it looked a hell of a lot like the city of Harena.  Second off, it was destroyed. [color=ffb6c1]"No way this could be Harena, it's too dead and destroyed.  This gatehouse though.  It looks just like the one we marched through on the way back from both wars."[/color]  It was heavily destroyed but it seemed to be standing for the most part, much like the walls that outlined the city.  Hell, there were even the hills that were similar to Harena.  Someone must have went through a lot of work to imitate the structure of Harena and make it look like hundreds upon hundreds of years of sandstorms came through.  Besides, there was a lot of sand buildup on the walls, it looked like there were plenty added.

Now was the time to enter past the gates.  The insides looked worse than the outsides. From ground level outside hardly a thing was visable, but the inside painted a whole different story.  Buildings that should have been there were reduced to little more than it's foundation. What was once a fountain had ought but a large skeleton covering it.  It seemed like those beasts Naasha brought out in the Second War.  By now, Ante was putting a couple things together.  [color=ffb6c1]"I really did die.  I think. If nothing else. . . This is the remains of Harena?."[/color]  Ante's knees buckled and met with the soft sand.  [color=ffb6c1]"It's all gone.  The Emperor, the people, the Temple. . .  Auges. . ."[/color]  Ante remembered all that happened between them before the stone pillar made a meat ornament out of the more emotional twin.  [color=ffb6c1]"I'm sorry, Auges. Really. . . I'm so, so, so, so, so very sorry.  I'm in control of myself now.  No, I don't even deserve you if you are still around."[/color]

Soon, a vision clouded Ante's mopping.  It was not familiar at all!  It was all grassy and so much clean looking water!  A paradise one might call it!  It was calling!  [color=ffb6c1]"Perhaps the Harenan's retreated there!"[/color]  Ante had come to a decision.  For some reason, someone had planted this information and if Vis willed it, Ante would find a way there.

[hr]

Ante hadn't been traveling for long.  The desert was just about as bad as the twin remembered with the exception of having no water.  With that in mind, Ante was extremely lucky that there was a traveling merchant caravan going in the same way.  Doubly so that they were kind and accepting.  [color=ffb6c1]"Thank you for being so nice.  Where I'm from, merchants weren't so nice."[/color] Ante said, sitting across from the merchant.

[b]"Is not a problem."[/b]  He said, stroking his beard.  He spoke a language similar to the one spoke in Harena but it was different. It must be a seperate dialect.  A really corrupted version as Auges likely would have said.  [b]"I'm just glad we could save a stray soul in our own journey.  It will bring pride to all.  Great point of honor taken in helping others where we can.  All we ask, is you help sort through our items once we reach our destination."[/b]

[color=ffb6c1]"Just tell me what you need done.  I'm sure there's more I can do to assist.  I may look like just a cute little girl, but when it comes to my swordplay. . . Well, let's just say I was called the 'Elegant Bladedancer of the Sand' back in my time."[/color] Ante added, thinking over the path.  From what these guys showed on the map, they should all be heading to the same place. Luckily, Ante had found them while struggling through the sand.

[b]"Is that what you were called?  Did they give you the title of the hero of old then?"[/b]  The Merchant Leader joked.

[color=ffb6c1]"Hero of old?  What do you mean by that?"[/color]  Ante asked, curious.  

The Merchant Leader looked slightly perplex but answered after a couple of seconds.  [b]"My apologies, I thought perhaps you may know since you speak a version of the language.  I'll assume you've at least heard of the Harena Empire? The old one, yes?  Well, there's been a tale passed down in our clan of two twin heroes.  One adapt at magic, Saint Auges and a one a Bladedancer.  Saint Ante, was her name though she apparently had no great desire for such a title.  Both ephemeral children and both beautiful the stories say much like yourself miss."[/b]  He told the tale in such a soft and gentle tone, Ante couldn't help but believe his words meant one thing.

[color=ffb6c1]"Y-yea.  I s-suppose I do get told I'm fair beautiful or cute sometimes."[/color]  So, Ante and Auges. . . [color=ffb6c1]"How long ago was that suppose to have been?"[/color]  Ante had to ask.  With Harena destroyed as it were and Ante actually alive, there was little else to ask.

The Merchant Leader took the question with a smile and a nod and looked up to the roof of the inside of the cart they were in looking for an exact answer at the back of his head.  [b]"I would be in the thought of about two thousand years ago, give or take some.  In the oral tradition it is not to be exact you see? But that is what most agree upon, yes?"[/b]

Two THOUSAND?  That's. . . . Well, that's much long than Ante or Auges lived! Well, maybe Auges was still alive!  Yes. . . Maybe. . .  Ante was in the opinion that she would not be able to show her face to Auges if the ever met again.  Not after that display. It was so fresh too.  The Merchant Leader seemed to take notice of the flux of emotion in Ante's face as he decided to ask.  [b]"My apologies, is there anything of problem with what I have said?  Is there ought of the tale you take offence to?"[/b]  He seemed obviously concern if he made offense.  If there was anything, now was not the time to make her benefactor worry. 

[color=ffb6c1]"No, I should be the one apologizing to make you worry."[/color]  Ante mentioned, fixing any stray emotion on her face.  [color=ffb6c1]"I just remembered my own sister, is all.  Again, I must thank you for taking me in with you."[/color]

[b]"Is no problem, as I said.  We just expect you to assist where we need it.  Now, if you need, go ahead and rest.  The road to Bervenia is long and we expect a couple of bandits.  If you are as elegant the Blade-user as you claim, then perhaps you could help with that."[/b]  He added looking expectantly into the eyes of Ante.

The twin just looked back into them confidently.  [color=ffb6c1]"Of course! Leave it to Ante Magnus!"[/color]  The Caravan traveled to Bervenia with very few incidents and those that occured could easily be overcome with Ante's skill and the Merchant's Shrewdness.